Providence
by Moyima
Summary: Luke's near-death experience on Hoth results in him being captured by Bounty Hunters. Luke's destiny is changed irrevocably. Father & Son themed ESB-AU
1. Chapter 1

AN: This story has been sitting on my hard drive for years. I promised myself that I would never again post a fic that is not yet finished, but it seems that the fate of this story is to sit quietly until I accidentally delete it. Perhaps posting it will finally give me the energy to finish it. I've written a "lighter" Vader in this story. I wouldn't go so far as to call him OOC, but you might see him as such. This story is much more optimistic than many of my past pieces, so I see this shift in characterization as my pen turning a new leaf, so to speak. I'll do my best to finish this (and revise the later chapters, because- woo, they are a mess), but I can make no promises. So, here's to new life for my writing and hopefully some inspiration.

Special thanks to Deja Vu and Kitt- who betaed this years ago.

-Moyima

**PROLOGUE**

* * *

_There is something indescribably beautiful about space. It is cold, deadly, mysterious..._

Vader's eye caught his own reflection in the surface of the bridge's viewport; he and space had much in common. He stood with his hands clasped at the small of his back, his feet spread a little more than a half meter apart, and he contemplated what was to come. Everything was moving quickly now, and he was chagrined to acknowledge that he was not prepared for the challenges that he would soon face. He had little time to find the boy. He had even less time to prepare the boy and obtain his acceptance of his destiny in the entire scheme.

But Vader would find him, and he would teach him that lesson... thoroughly.

* * *

It was a frozen desert, the inverse of his childhood home. Luke adjusted his goggles over his face to keep the biting wind from his skin. He had thought he'd never feel helpless again after the Death Star. He had thought there was nothing that he couldn't handle.

He was wrong.

For the first time since Yavin, he felt the sickening feeling of panic creep up his spine and through his innards. He'd been attacked by some sort of monster. Its white fur had kept Luke from spotting it until it was upon him and his mount. He felt a twisting guilt; he had thrown himself from the tauntaun and fled as the monster dug its claws and teeth into the peaceful animal. Luke could still hear the tauntaun's screams in his head. The animal had saved his life. Luke had been able to flee while the creature was distracted by the easy prey, but he'd dropped his comlink and compass. He was lost and it would be dark soon. His vision began to blur as he looked ahead at what looked like an ice mountain; it was very similar to the one the rebels had carved their base into.

_Was that it? Had he found his way back?_

He clawed his way towards the mountain of ice. His chest heaved and his vision blurred more and more until he could no longer make out the ice from the sky. His eyes crossed and closed as he lost consciousness and fell into the snow drifts.

**CHAPTER ONE**

* * *

"Give me the microbinoculars, Xan."

Xanzio frowned and passed the view-enhancers to the woman next to him, squinting at the snow-swept landscape.

"Yeah, I see it too," she said, lowering the device from her eyes with a small frown. "Do you think he's with the rebels?"

"Who else do ya think he's with? You think he's a native?" Xanzio retorted sarcastically.

Kyallia glared at her business partner.

"What's goin' on guys?"

The pair turned as the third of their smuggling trio emerged from the cave. Kyallia held out the microbinoculars. "Look. Tell us what you think, Harrison."

Harrison snatched the offered device from Kyallia's hand and held it up to his eyes. "Well, well, well, one of them rebels wandered a lil' too far from home."

Kyallia smirked, "What d'ya think we should do?"

Harrison twisted his lip, turning back to face his companions. "Normally I'd say leave the bastard to his death, but with the bounties on some of those rebels these days, I think it'd be worth it to check this guy out."

The three smugglers exchanged smiles and headed into their ice-cave hideout to gear-up.

* * *

Luke groaned as his consciousness slowly returned to him. He blinked, struggling to bring his surroundings into focus. As he turned his head to stretch his sore muscles, he blinked some more and frowned; the female at his bedside jumped.

He attempted to sit up. "Leia?"

"No," a feminine voice returned coldly.

Luke frowned as his vision cleared; he narrowed his eyes as he studied the woman next to him.

"Who are you?"

She sneered. "That is the least of your worries."

Luke's frown deepened. "Are you an Imperial?"

The woman ignored him and walked off. Luke moved to follow her and found himself slammed back into the bed by his own force; he turned his head and frowned at the ropes tied firmly around his wrists. He closed his eyes, letting his head fall against the pillow again.

"Sith."

_How'd I end up here anyway? _he thought.

The last thing he remembered was being knocked from his mount in the middle of nowhere in the harsh Hoth wilderness... He broke from his internal musings as the woman reentered. Two men strode in behind her.

"Well, looks like Sleepin' Beauty finally decided to wake up."

The other man smirked in response. "What d'ya do to wake him up, Ky? Kiss him?"

The man was answered with a violent punch in his shoulder blade. "Shut up, Xan."

Luke struggled to move into a more dignified position, rather than remain sprawled out on his back as his captors stood over him, but his attempts were met with failure.

The woman looked down at him and sneered. "Think we can get any useful information out of him? Such as why Vader wants him alive?"

Luke frowned and spoke without thinking. "Vader wants me alive?"

One of the men laughed and grabbed a simple wooden chair, spun it in his hand, and straddled it as he sat; leaning over the back of it he grinned at the man tied down on the bed. "You _do_ know about Vader's bounty on you, right?"

Luke nodded slowly.

The other man, who his companions called Xan, grabbed a chair and sat, leering at Luke also. "And you _do_ know that the bounty demands you alive and unharmed?"

Luke unconsciously pulled at his restraints again. "Huh?"

The woman laughed; perching herself on the bed next to Luke's thigh, she leaned forward and smiled at him. "Well, isn't _this_ interesting?"

Luke's frown deepened as the three leaned over him, grinning maliciously. He had a bad feeling about this.

The female rested her elbows on Luke's chest and studied his face intently. "I can see why Vader might want him alive... but why is he so worried about this rebel's well-being?" She glanced at the man next to her. "Whatcha think, Harrison? You were an Imp once."

Harrison shrugged. "Being an Imp doesn't make ya understand how Vader or the Emperor thinks."

Luke bit his lower lip, asking himself the same question: _Why the hell did Vader want him unharmed? _

"What does the bounty say specifically?" Luke asked softly. The three turned and looked at him in unison.

"What?" Xanzio leaned forward, peering at the young man curiously.

"The bounty, what does it say?"

Harrison raised an eyebrow in amusement as he reached into his jacket. After flipping through a pile of bounty notices, he finally stopped and pulled one from the pile.

He held it in front of Luke's face.

Luke's forehead creased as he read. "It's Vader's bounty... not the Empire's."

Harrison nodded, stuffing the bounty back into his jacket. "Yeah, we know. We also know that you're worth enough to buy a small star system."

Luke suddenly looked like a very small child; was there anything he could offer these mercenaries for his freedom?

_No_, he quickly concluded as he assessed the predatory stares of his captors.

_Absolutely nothing._

"Harrison." The woman leaned forward, throwing a glance at the man on the bed. "Is there a contact number on the bounty?"

The other nodded. "Yeah, I think the call number is the _Executor_."

Luke noticeably paled.

"Well," she looked at Luke again, causing him to swallow uncomfortably, "I'd like to get acquainted with our little friend before we ship him off."

Luke's eyes widened, panic spreading through his chest.

Xanzio laughed as he stood. "Have fun, sweetheart, though I can't say he looks like he deserves ya'."

Luke tried to sit up as the two males moved towards the door.

Harrison turned at the threshold. "I'm going to contact the _Executor_. I'm sure it'll take days for 'em to get here. You'll have all the time you want."

As the door shut behind them, they heard a small whimper from Skywalker.

* * *

"Lord Vader!"

The imposing figure of the Empire's second-in-command turned away from the screen he had been studying and looked at the communications officer who now stood before him, panting.

"Yes, Lieutenant?"

The man drew in a deep breath, struggling to keep his voice steady. Vader allowed the man the few extra moments; he felt no fear in him, therefore it was _good_ news.

"Milord, we have just received a communication from Hoth."

"Hoth?" Vader questioned.

The man nodded quickly. "Smugglers, Milord. They report that there is a Rebel base located there."

Vader lifted an interested eyebrow at the news.

"And," the man continued, "they claim to have in their custody a query of a personal bounty of yours."

Vader was thankful for his mask at that moment.

"Skywalker?" he asked so softly that the sound was barely projected through his mask.

The man nodded as Vader turned from him sharply.

"How far are we from the Hoth system?"

The navigations officer looked up from his post. "Two standard hours, Milord."

Vader nodded. "Good. I want this ship on full alert when we arrive."

Every officer on the bridge suddenly made a mad dash to prepare.

Vader grasped his hands behind his back and smiled.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER TWO**

* * *

Luke's eyes did not sway from the woman's hand as she reached forward and grabbed him roughly by the jaw.

"You're lying, you little rat," she hissed.

Luke tried to pull his face away from the fingers digging into his flesh, but his efforts were in vain; she only tightened her grip. She leaned forward, bringing her face within inches of his.

"No one has a bounty on 'em as large as yours and not know why."

Luke frowned, both in pain and confusion. "I destroyed the Death Star," he snarled.

She shook her head, looking as if he had slapped her across the face. "And if they wanted you for that it would be an Imperial bounty, not Vader's bounty. Vader wants you— _not_ the Empire."

Frustration was beginning to build in the young man; he snapped his head away, succeeding in pulling away this time. He glared at her. "Look, I don't know what Vader wants! He's a madman. How can you expect me to understand his motives?"

Her dark eyes narrowed. "I don't believe you," she whispered. "I think there's something more."

Luke rolled his eyes; his fear was ebbing into anger and he was feeling braver in his fury. "I don't care what you believe," he spat. "And I don't see why you care so damn much—You're getting your small fortune regardless if you know why."

Kyallia growled and backhanded him sharply. Luke shook his head, trying to clear the stars from his vision as the woman stormed out of the room. He scowled at the retreating figure as blood began to trickle over his lips.

* * *

Vader stood on the bridge of the _Executor _as she approached the system of Hoth.

He tilted his head towards Admiral Ozzel. "Bring the fleet out of lightspeed well outside of the system; we do not want to Rebels alerted to our presence."

Ozzel's mouth bent downward. "But Milord, we might find surprise to be an advantageous tactic…" he trailed off as Vader turned his eyes upon him fully.

"Need I repeat myself, Admiral?"

Ozzel swallowed visibly, shaking his head nervously. "Of course not, Milord. We'll be pulling out of light speed momentarily."

Vader said nothing; he simply turned back to the viewport of the bridge. He was so close.

* * *

Xanzio stepped into the makeshift lounge of their little base; Kyallia and Harrison were both seated, their feet propped up on the small table.

"We just got a hail from the _Executor_," he informed them as he took a seat himself. "They're in-system."

Harrison raised his eyebrow. "Already?"

Xanzio nodded. "Yeah. They're sending an envoy. They want us to stick tight." He shrugged. "They're probably setting up a strike on the Rebs and don't want us getting in the way."

Harrison nodded. "That's a fair estimation. How's Skywalker? You check on him?"

Xanzio nodded as he threw a glance at Kyallia. "Yeah, he's asleep. Funny, I don't remember there being a bruise on the side of his face when we picked him up, and I don't remember him having a bloody nose either."

Kyallia avoided both Xanzio and Harrison's looks.

"Ky!" Harrison pulled his legs from the table. "The bounty says 'unharmed'! What the hell are you doing hitting him? This is Vader we're talking about, for Sith's sake!"

Kyallia scowled, refusing to look at her partners' accusing glares. "He wouldn't tell me what I wanted to know."

"Which was?" Xanzio voice was laced with contempt.

She finally turned her eyes to them; they were hard with hatred. "I want to know why he's so important. Why Vader will let him live... why he wants him to live!"

Harrison frowned. "What's the matter with you, Ky? You act like this is…"

"Personal?" she scowled. "Vader killed my father for his 'incompetence,' and my brother was aboard the Death Star. I only found peace in the thought that at least Vader's infamous bloodlust would take out the Sith-Spawn that killed my brother—but instead, he wants him alive and UNHARMED?"

Kyallia turned away as tears began to flood her eyes.

"Ky…" Harrison said softly. "I'm sorry, I had no idea."

Xanzio leaned forward. "Don't worry about the bruise, Ky, I'm sure we can give the idiot they send down to get him some B.S. story. It'll be fine."

They all looked up as the sound of a ship landing nearby filled the cavern; they all exchanged looks and stood together.

"They don't waste any time, do they?" Xanzio murmured as the trio headed out to greet their 'guest.'

* * *

Luke's eyes fluttered open as a low rumble sounded throughout the snowy rooms. He looked about the room, ensuring that he was alone, and began pulling at his restraints with all he had.

He was running out of time.

* * *

The three smugglers stood before the small Imperial shuttle, watching as the ramp slowly descended.

Xanzio nudged Harrison, grinning. "Can't wait to meet this moron."

The ramp crushed a patch of snow as it landed, and the ship hissed slightly as it settled. Steam rose from the snow where the craft warmed it.

A small sound came from within the shuttle: the sound of boots against durasteel. The 'envoy' stepped into view, immediately striding down the ramp towards the three who had mentally shifted from smug arrogance to absolute horror in the space of a few moments.

The figure came to a halt before them; a black cape brushed the figure's solid legs as its momentum belatedly matched that of its master. An ominous hiss broke the silence sounding them.

"Bring me to him. Now."

The three smugglers, so recently confident in their position, now competed with the Hoth landscape in their paleness.

* * *

Luke winced as he pulled at the ropes holding him down. He'd done nothing more than manage to give himself rope burn. He growled in frustration, pulling again, when he heard voices in the corridor. He froze. His eyes were wide and glued to the door.

* * *

"He got... attacked by something, got a nasty bruise. We saved him," Xanzio explained as they moved down the icy corridors. "Good thing we came across him—the kid was in rough shape."

Vader glanced at the nervous man. His lie was screaming to him through the Force. His mental attention then shifted to the girl. She was radiating hatred towards both himself and Skywalker. She had caused the injury her comrade was now trying to casually dismiss as an animal attack.

The other man, for his part, seemed to have a military background. He knew how and how not to act around the Sith Lord and thus far was the only one who had not earned his displeasure.

The group came to a small door at the end of a short hallway; Xanzio smiled uncomfortably at the Dark Lord and opened the door.

The sight was enough to make a Jedi furious; the Sith had nothing to hold him back. There lay his son, tied down like an animal; his face displayed an ugly bruise across its right side. Vader ignored the horrified expression the young man held and turned towards the three smugglers.

"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded; his voice held a dangerous edge.

The three stared at him, wide-eyed; they did not reply.

The ropes securing Luke to the bed were immediately shredded to pieces by an invisible force. The young man sat upright, scrambling away until his back hit the wall; he rubbed at his wrists. Before he could move any further, Vader strode forward and took him by the chin with a glove-clad hand. Luke froze, surprised at how gently Vader handled him.

"Who did this to you?" Vader asked Luke, well aware of who was responsible.

Luke glanced at the trio standing in the corner, then back at the object of so many of his nightmares.

"Tell me who did this to you," the Sith repeated.

Luke's teeth dug slightly into his lower lip before he softly replied, "It was an accident."

In the corner of the room Kyallia's eyes widened.

Vader released him, not stepping away. "Why do you lie to me? Surely Obi-Wan taught you the austere consequences for such actions."

Luke gasped. A wave of anger and sorrow hit him simultaneously, and he spoke before he thought. "Will you kill me too? Kill me like you killed my mentor... and my father?"

Vader straightened, slightly pulling away from the young man. This was not a subject he wished to breach in the audience of these smugglers.

Vader opted for keeping a cool façade. "I assure you, I did not go through such trouble to find you only to kill you."

Luke's eyes narrowed, he parted his lips to reply and was firmly stopped when Vader's hand clamped over his mouth. He frowned at the absurd position, but the Sith was looking away again.

Luke turned his eyes towards the smugglers who now held the Dark Lord's attention; he watched over Vader's thumb as Kyallia's eyes widened and she began to gasp for air.

"Stop!" Harrison immediately begged, knowing very well what was occurring. He began to choke as well. Xanzio watched his companions struggle to breathe, then he turned his eyes to Luke, then to the Sith.

"Who is he?" Xanzio whispered.

Kyallia was on her knees.

Vader smiled under his mask as the young woman fell to the floor. "You will never know."

Xanzio hadn't time to reply; he followed his fellow smuggler, as did Harrison a few moments later. Vader's hand dropped from Luke's mouth as he turned to look at him; the younger man's jaw was slack as he stared wide-eyed at the three bodies on the icy floor.

"But why..." he uttered, too shocked to fear for himself.

Vader once again took Luke gently by the chin, tilting his face so that he could better observe the bruise.

"The bounty specifically said 'alive and unharmed.' I do not tolerate deceitfulness."

"She only hit me."

Vader squeezed his jaw slightly, not enough to hurt him. "Need I repeat myself?"

Luke shook his head, his eyes wide.

"Good," the Sith said, releasing the young man and turning away. "Now come."

Luke slid from the bed; his feet touched the frosty floor softly. Uncertainty was written all over his expression.

"Why?" he asked quietly, attempting to hide the slight tremor in his voice.

Vader turned; his unreadable mask stared down at the young man. "Why?"

"Why do you want me alive and unharmed...?"

Vader almost laughed; he turned away again, beckoning for Luke to follow. "All in good time, child. Now come."


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE **

* * *

Night was beginning to fall on Hoth.

Leia leaned against a supply crate, staring out onto the frigid landscape. Somewhere out there, Luke was lost. He'd been gone a night and a day; they'd sent search party after search party, and still they had yielded no results. There was not a clue left that might tell them where he was... what had happened to him.

She jumped as a hand wrapped around her, pulling her close. She sobbed, falling into the welcoming embrace.

"Han…he's not dead, he can't be dead."

Han lay his cheek against Leia's chestnut hair as she sobbed against his shoulder. "We'll find him, sweetheart," he whispered, keeping his voice low so she wouldn't hear the strain in it.

It killed him to lie to her.

* * *

Luke stood behind Vader as he surveyed the utter chaos they had walked into.

"What did this?" he whispered as Vader knelt to inspect a particular circuit.

Vader shook his head, standing. "Some kind of wild animal. I should not have left the ramp down... I did not anticipate the smugglers being so troublesome."

Luke cringed slightly.

The damage to the ship was irreparable. Something had come aboard the ship and caused absolute havoc, damaging several vital systems including, the comm.

"Perhaps the smugglers have something here that will suffice..." Vader mused.

Luke shook his head, feeling slightly disoriented, standing in an Imperial shuttle having a casual conversation with Darth Vader. "I overheard them say they were stranded here until their partners showed up with their next shipment."

Vader titled his head slightly. "That's odd."

Luke shrugged. "They probably have something stashed in this base that they didn't want to risk getting caught with."

Vader was silent for several moments and then surprised Luke with his words. "You are very perceptive; that is good."

Luke frowned and blurted out, "You're not what I expected."

Vader titled his head back as he looked as his unbeknownst son. "What did you expect, young one?"

Luke's frown deepened; he'd expected his meeting with the Sith to be horrifying... not to mention the last moments of his life. But this... this was something entirely different. Vader seemed almost... concerned for him. It was baffling.

"I expected a monster," he said softly.

"And what do you see?"

Luke hesitated; Vader's behavior was throwing him off. "I see a man... a powerful man."

Vader nodded; he was very satisfied with his son's answer. He strode past him towards the ramp. "Come, we need to find some supplies before night falls."

"We're staying here?"

Vader turned. "What do you propose we do?"

"The—" Luke's plan died on his lips as he stared at the Dark Lord.

Vader smiled under his mask. "No, we're not making the short journey to the Rebel base."

Luke's face paled; obviously Vader knew his companions were there, but to have him say it so casually...

Vader's voice broke into his thoughts. "It will only be a matter of time before the admiral of the _Executor_ sends a search party. He knows where I have gone."

His imposing form disappeared down the ramp, leaving Luke to stare after him, completely bewildered by the situation. Vader had... _saved_ him. He'd swept in like some dark angel and destroyed lives simply because they'd hurt him.

He frowned.

It just didn't add up. When his name had flown to the top of the Imperial most wanted list, he'd assumed it was because they wanted his head for the destruction of the Death Star, but here he was with the Emperor's henchman himself, and completely unharmed.

He touched his cheek lightly.

Vader had killed those people because he'd found a bruise on him. A bruise. Could this really be the man who killed his father? The man he had watched slay Ben?

What was going on?

_Come here, Child._

Luke stepped back in shock and smacked his head against the bulkhead as the voice invaded his thoughts. He rubbed his head and looked around in confusion.

_Come here_, repeated the voice in his head.

Luke went to the ramp and looked down to find Vader standing in the snow, looking up at him.

_Was that you? _Luke thought as he stared down at the black silhouette against the white snow.

A slight nod, and then the figure turned and proceeded towards smugglers' hideout. Luke inhaled deeply, shaking his head, and then jogged down the ramp after the Dark Lord.

"I can't believe this..." he murmured to himself.

* * *

"Any word from Lord Vader?"

Captain Piett shook his head slowly as Admiral Ozzel approached him. "We cannot afford sending another ship in without alerting the Rebels..."

Ozzel nodded. "The attack will commence at 1400 hours; we will send a team to assist Lord Vader once the assault is underway."

Piett's eyes wandered out the viewport and fell onto the desolate form of Hoth. "Do you think he's all right?" he whispered, nearly inaudible.

Ozzel laughed lightly. "I feel sorry for whatever has delayed him."

Piett turned to reply, but Ozzel had already gone.

* * *

Luke leaned against the hull of the Imperial shuttle, gazing up at the twilight sky of Hoth; he heard Vader's footfalls on the ramp behind him and the soft crushing of snow beneath his boots. The steps fell silent close behind him.

"Where is the _Executor_?" he asked softly, not bothering to turn.

Vader moved until he was standing next to him; he pointed to a black point in the sky, "Just beyond detection, you cannot see her with radar nor naked eye."

Luke nodded slowly, his eyes watching the sky still. "You can't stop the attack... can you?"

"This is war, Luke."

Luke turned to look at the Dark Lord; his features were soft in the fading light. "And I am the enemy, yet I'm still alive."

Vader turned as well to look at the young man. "You've been in the company of Princess Leia far too long, I see."

Luke groaned, turning away again. He'd been trying to unravel the mystery behind Vader's treatment of him for the past few hours; he was getting nowhere; Vader evaded him every time.

"Come. We will stay on the shuttle tonight; when they come for me, they will search the shuttle first. I have rewired the heating system; you will be warm enough."

Luke frowned, turning back to look at the Sith. "You're a mechanic?" he asked doubtfully.

"I had a life before this, Skywalker," Vader replied coldly. "Yes, I have skills."

Luke's frown deepened as he watched Vader's dark form retreat up the ramp and then he smiled at the opening he'd been left. He ran after the older man.

"Tell me about it," he called as he caught up with the Sith.

"Excuse me?"

"Tell me about your life before the Empire."

Vader stopped dead. Slowly, he turned to look at the young man who stood behind him looking up at his mask hopefully.

"You need to sleep," Vader replied simply.

"Then talk to me while I fall asleep," Luke said hastily as Vader went to turn away again.

The Sith paused, half-turned from the young man. Luke stared at the other, hardly believing that he was begging Darth Vader to tell him a bedtime story.

"Please?"

Vader sighed, greatly disturbed at how difficult it was for him to say 'no' to his son. "Very well."

Luke grinned as he followed Vader down the corridor to the small bunk that had been set up for him. Vader seated himself and sat like a statue while Luke curled up into the layers of blankets on the small bed. Once Luke was settled, he looked at the Sith hopefully.

He really couldn't resist the chance to find out more about this mysterious man who had within a few hours proved to be much different than what he was perceived to be...

Once again Luke found himself wondering why _he_, of all people, was granted access to this side of the Empire's Second-in-Command.

Vader was silent for several minutes until Luke finally realized he was going to have to initiate the 'story.'

"Where are you from?" his voice was small, but it turned Vader's head towards him.

"Tatooine."

Luke couldn't help but sit up. "But—"

"I am from Tatooine," Vader repeated.

Luke nodded. "Wow..." He bit his lip slyly, then asked, "What's the most exciting thing you did there?"

The Sith tilted his head slightly at the young man who was now sitting up with his arms wrapped around his legs. "I thought you were going to sleep."

"I _will_."

Vader shook his head, resigned to his son's pleas. "I was nine years old; I won the Boonta Eve Classic."

Luke arms dropped from his knee and his eyes widened. "But... that means you're not human."

"Oh, no? What makes you say that?"

"There was only one human in the history of Podracing who was ever able to do it, much less finish."

"You know your history, young one."

Luke frowned slightly at the way the Sith Lord addressed him.

"Do you know his name?" Vader asked casually.

"The only human podracer? No. It was deleted from _everything_, and I mean everything. I looked. I know that he was a slave, and he suddenly disappeared after the race." He paused, staring at the bulkhead. "There were rumors that the Jedi were involved with his disappearance."

Vader nodded. "Very good."

Luke raised an eyebrow at the other.

"That boy was me."

Luke's jaw dropped. "You were a _slave_?" he whispered, his head swimming with the information being thrown at him.

"Yes, until the Jedi took me away."

Luke studied the man before him, unable to comprehend how different he was from what he had imagined. "You seem bitter..."

"We'll come to that... at a later date." He stood. "But now, you need to rest."

"What? No way, you have to tell me more!"

"This way, I won't have to worry about you running away."

Luke slumped down against his pillow, crossing his arms. "At least tell me one thing before you leave."

Vader turned but said nothing; he waited.

Luke's voice dropped and became cold. "Why did you kill my father?"

A silence passed over the two; it seemed like an eternity, but it was only moments until Vader broke it. "Is that what Kenobi told you?"

Luke nodded slowly; doubt began to crawl across his features. _Had Ben lied to him?_

"Kenobi tends to tell things from a 'certain point of view.' From one _point of view_, he can say that I killed your father..." Luke's face hardened, but he continued to listen. "From yet another, I could say that _he_ killed your father, and neither of us would be lying, per se, but we would also not be entirely truthful."

Luke's face was twisted with confusion and agony. "What... what do you mean? I don't understand..."

Vader stepped forward, gently placing a gloved hand atop Luke's sandy blonde hair. "All in good time. I will tell you everything when you are ready to hear it, but now- sleep."

"Tell me now! Please!" Luke begged, trying to untangle himself from the blankets twisted around him.

Vader shut off the lights and slipped through the doorway. Just before the crack of light fully disappeared, he gave Luke a simple "No," and then shut the door.

He quickly made his way back to the cockpit before he could change his mind.


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER FOUR **

* * *

The night passed slowly for Lord Vader. He thought of many things; the battle that raged in his mind plagued him all night, and now the darkness was breaking; he could see the snowy landscape crawl towards him as dawn shattered across the desolate planet.

He didn't turn as Luke stepped from the corridor into the cockpit; the young man ran his fingers through his disheveled hair.

"Any word?" he asked, falling into the co-pilot's seat next to the Sith.

"The comm is down," Vader gently reminded.

Luke rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I know. Have you seen any ships?"

"No."

Luke swallowed gently, fighting to keep his voice neutral. "When is the attack scheduled for?"

"Last night."

Luke closed his eyes as wave of guilt washed over him; he'd slept while his comrades fought for their lives.

"There was nothing you could have done for them."

Luke stood suddenly, glaring down at the seated Sith Lord. "I am a squad commander, Lord Vader, there was _a lot_ I could have done!"

"You speak highly of yourself."

Luke groaned, turning away in frustration. "That's _not_ what I meant."

"I know," Vader replied softly.

Luke's next retort was cut off by the sound of a ship. A close ship.

Vader and Luke exchanged a look and then swiftly made for the hatch. Luke sprinted down the lowered ramp and into the snow; Vader followed behind at his own pace. Luke squinted up at the sky, his hand at his forehead to shield his eyes. Vader stood passively, his eyes on the sky as well.

"Do you see it?" Luke called to Vader as he turned around in circles.

"Of course."

Luke turned and scowled at him. "What's the make?"

"It's an Imperial ship, Luke."

Luke pressed his lips together, clearly disappointed; he turned towards Vader just in time to see him turn away from the Imperial shuttle moving closer.

Luke saw it too— another ship.

A slow smile grew on Luke's face as he recognized it: the _Falcon._

The Imperial shuttle circled and began to settle to the right of Vader's ruined craft, while Han brought the _Falcon_ down to the left.

Luke and Vader merely stared at one another.

Luke had to run past Vader to get to his friends. He had to get past the Sith Lord. Could he do it? Did he want to?

_Now where did that come from?_ He thought, frowning at the situation.

_If you run, you'll never find out the truth about your father._

Luke's eyes locked onto the Dark Lord.

"That's not fair!" he screamed above the roar of the ships.

_No one said it would be._

Two lines of stormtroopers filed out of the Imperial shuttle, creating a human corridor, they turned in unison and faced each other. Another man then emerged; he marched down the ramp and into the snow; the bars displayed on his uniform marked him as a captain.

The ramp of the _Falcon _lowered and Han emerged, blaster at ready. His eyes caught Luke's and he gave a slight nod. Luke understood perfectly; Han was going to distract Vader, and he was to run. Not the best of plans, but it was something.

Vader's eyes remained on him until the last possible second. He turned when Han raised the blaster, and Luke ran. It happened so quickly, neither Han nor Luke had a chance to react. First the blast was deflected by the palm of the Sith Lord's hand, and then the blaster itself followed the bolt. Vader dropped the weapon into the snow like a broken toy and turned just as Luke reached him. He held out his hand, and Luke froze, gasping at the sudden loss of momentum. The Dark Lord then lifted his hand, and Luke followed, rising several inches off the ground.

Luke gave the Sith the dirtiest look he could manage as he drifted the last few feet towards him and landed gently in the snow.

"A capital attempt," the Dark Lord commented.

Luke groaned.

"Luke!" Han's voice rang across the snow-scape.

He actually tried again; he lunged forward and tried to run. Vader caught him effortlessly and held him in an iron grip. With Luke trying to go in the other direction, Vader began to walk towards his waiting transport.

The captain inclined his head respectfully; Vader returned the gesture, "Captain Piett."

"Lord Vader," he glanced at the Corellian freighter, "Shall we engage these Rebels, Milord?"

Luke tensed in his arms, and he glanced down at his son's pleading face. "No, Captain, we will return to the _Executor _immediately."

"Yes, Milord."

Piett stepped back, allowing Vader and Luke to pass. He threw an apprehensive look towards the _very _irate captain of the _Millennium Falcon_ and then followed them up the ramp. The stormtroopers filed in behind them.

* * *

Han punched a panel on the _Falcon_ in frustration as he watched Luke disappear into the Imperial shuttle, only a bit of his blonde hair visible over Vader's shoulder, "This is _not _happening."

Leia stepped out of the shadows, looking down at him with hollow eyes, "We haven't lost him yet, come on."

Han nodded and sprinted up the ramp.

* * *

Vader firmly set Luke into the seat directly behind the copilot's seat.

"Milord?"

Vader turned from Luke to face the shuttle pilot, bent over the radar-scope.

"We have incoming."

"Rogue Squadron," Piett said quietly.

Luke sat up straight. "How do you know?" he asked eagerly.

"The commander is missing from the formation," Vader replied dryly.

Luke couldn't help but roll his eyes as he murmured, "The all-knowing Sith Lord can count."

Piett looked up at his commander, pure shock sketched upon his features.

Vader didn't even look up. "Don't react, it only encourages him." After adjusting a few controls, he finally turned to Luke. "Come here."

Luke eyed him apprehensively but approached.

Vader flicked on the comm. "You know the frequency. Order them off, or I will destroy them."

Luke threw him a doubtful look.

"Perhaps you'd care for a demonstration?"

Luke's mouth opened fractionally; then it clamped shut stubbornly.

"Very well."

Vader's eyes turned to look out the viewport towards the incoming squadron, Luke watching in silent horror as the substituting leader was thrown from his course and set hurtling towards Hoth's snowy surface.

Luke rushed forward, his hands planted firmly onto the console. "WEDGE!"

Vader immediately raised his hand, and the ship came to a dead stop moments before impact; it settled gently into the snow.

Luke looked at the Sith with wide eyes.

"I will ask you once more, Skywalker..."

Luke swallowed, then leaned forward and switched on the comm. He quickly turned to the Rogue's frequency.

"Rogue Squadron."

"Luke!"

Luke pressed his lips together, trying to keep all emotion out of his voice. "This is Commander Skywalker; return to base."

"But Luke—"

"That's an order."

"Luke, have you lost your mind?" Han's voice broke into the transmission.

"Return to base _now_."

He watched with relief as Wedge's X-Wing rose from the snow bank it had lodged itself into; he glanced at Vader, knowing him to be responsible. The squadron and the _Falcon_ circled the Imperial shuttle but began to back off.

"Destroy the wreckage," the young commander distantly heard Vader order, he glanced up and watched as the ruined shuttle on the ground was blasted apart.

The Rebel crafts seemed shaken by the destruction but remained back, barely managing to obey their commander's orders.

Vader reached over to Luke, gently placing two fingers on his temple, sending the young man into a peaceful sleep.

The Imperial shuttle pulled away, heading for the vacuum of space... and the _Executor._


	5. Chapter 5

**AN:** Obligatory "Luke Goes to Vegas" chapter. Kinda.

**CHAPTER FIVE **

* * *

Luke awoke in a plush bed like nothing he'd ever seen before. The satin sheets kissed his checks as he rolled over and sat up, slowly looking around the room. He vaguely remembered being brought in the night before... He was cradled in someone's arms like a child...

_Had it been Vader? Had Vader carried him here?_

He shook his head. That was impossible.

He pushed the bedding off and brought his feet to the floor with a gentle thud. On the foot of the bed rested a neatly folded stack of clothes: black. He grabbed them and headed for what he thought to be the 'fresher.

As he slipped through the door, he whistled softly. The 'fresher was larger than any of his quarters had ever been with the Alliance, even after becoming a commander. He dropped the clothes on the floor in an unceremonious heap and stuck his head into the shower. His eyes widened.

It wasn't a sonic shower... it was hydro. Water, real water.

He grinned as he began pulling off his ruined clothes from Hoth; for this small moment he wasn't trapped on-board the _Executor-_he was just an excited kid.

He jumped into the huge shower and began twisting the shiny knobs.

"AGHH!" He frantically turned the knobs again, hoping to find some hot water; and it came in a rush of steam. Luke laid his palms against the wall below the showerhead and just stood there, letting the water run down him.

* * *

Vader sat at his desk, half paying attention to the datapads scattered before him; his thoughts kept lingering on his son. He knew that he had to tell him soon-it would drive him mad if nothing else if he kept it from the child much longer.

Prompted by his thoughts, he reached out to check on the boy; _was he awake yet…?_ Vader gasped as he was struck by a maelstrom of emotions.

He stood, glaring at the door to the bedroom. _What in stars is he up to?_

* * *

Luke shook his head slightly as he watched the water cascade down his body, pool at his feet, and race down the drain. Steam rose all around him, and he realized that despite how wonderful the water felt, it was getting too hot. He once again twisted the knobs, trying to allow a bit of cool water through...

The water suddenly changed from nearly scalding to ice cold.

"AGGGGGHHHHH!"

* * *

Vader jerked as he was mentally slapped across the face. Shock radiated from the next room in such large degrees that Vader himself almost shivered. He slammed the datapad that he still held in his hand onto the desk.

"That's it." He stalked towards the bedroom.

* * *

Luke flung open the shower door and jumped onto the mat laid out on the 'fresher floor. He reached into the shower and turned off the water. Shaking, he grabbed a huge fluffy towel from the rack next to him and proceeded to dry himself off.

He jolted and quickly wrapped the towel around himself as the door flung open. Vader stepped in, observing the 'fresher as if it were a battleground.

"Excuse me!" Luke cried, wrapping the towel around him tighter.

Vader ignored him, continuing to look over the flooded floor, the disheveled mat, the heap of clothes.

"What have you been doing in here? Fighting a battalion?"

Luke's face, already flushed from his skirmish with the water temperature, turned a deeper shade of red. "I'm from the desert," he whispered. "I've never taken a shower with water before..."

Vader almost spoke and then almost laughed as the image of _his_ first hydro-shower swam into his memory. He simply stepped back and closed the door behind him, leaving Luke clinging to his towel in the 'fresher. Luke stood still for several moments, glancing around at the chaotic mess he'd made of the beautiful 'fresher, then he couldn't take it anymore.

He laughed.

* * *

Father and son sat at opposite sides of the table, one reading fleet reports, the other staring at the elder while chewing his breakfast.

"This is really good," Luke murmured; his eyes still on Vader. "What's it called again?"

Vader did not look up. "Cheesecake."

"Yeah? Hmm, never heard of it before."

He was answered by silence.

"You know," he continued, his voice strained with uncertainty, "I've been thinking... do you think I could come with you today?"

Vader lowered the datapad he'd been studying and peered at the hopeful young man staring at him from across the table and chewing a mouthful of cheesecake.

"Why are you eating _that_ for breakfast?"

Luke shrugged. "I thought I'd order something I'd never heard of. Stop dodging the question."

Vader frowned slightly. "The bridge is no place for bored visitors. If you seek entertainment, I suggest you go to the recreation room."

Luke pouted, letting his next bite of cheesecake settle back to his plate with the fork in his hand. "I want to see the _Executor_'s bridge," he stated bluntly.

"You're quite the diplomat."

Luke groaned. "I'm not trying to be diplomatic! This is the prize ship of the Imperial Fleet; I _want_ to see her bridge."

Vader was quiet for several moments before surrendering to words. "I take that back; you _are_ a diplomat. You pour on subtle flattery whilst claiming to be delivering nothing more than an innocent plea."

The younger man fought the smile that threaten to blossom over his face.

"Luke, the bridge is a restricted area, officers only..."

"I'm a commander."

The tilt of the Dark Lord's head suggested that his face said, _give me a break._ "Of an _Alliance_ Squadron."

Luke shrugged, his smile unwavering.

"You are wearing my patience thin, young one."

Luke leaned forward, dropping his fork onto his plate. "Then let me come with you."

There was a long pause before Vader finally sighed. "Fine." Luke nearly leapt from his seat in his excitement. "_But-_you are to stay by my side at all times, say not one word, and for Force-sake, tuck in your shirt."

Luke grinned and jogged from the table to the door of the bedroom; he turned suddenly, his face all business. "As you wish, Milord." He gave a stiff salute and disappeared.

Vader shook his head. "I have a bad feeling about this."


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER SIX **

* * *

The immense durasteel doors moved aside to grant entrance to Lord Vader and his guest to the bridge of the _Executor._ Luke checked himself one last time as the bridge came into view; his face was blank despite the excitement that ran through him. Vader threw a glance in his son's direction as he felt the waves of emotion emitting from him.

_Please remember, I'm here to work_..._ do try to keep it down._

Before the question fully formed in Luke's mind, Vader answered it. _Your excitement. It is ringing through my head. You might as well be screaming aloud. _After a brief moment he added, _Don't._

The sarcastic retort that Vader expected did not come; instead, the young man's awareness flooded his own senses with the inevitable question: _Ben was never bombarded by my emotions as you are_... _Why do my feelings affect you so much? _

Vader pulled up a barrier so quickly that even his untrained son felt it. Luke turned his attention towards enjoying his visit to the bridge, but Vader knew that the question would return.

An officer stepped forward, distracting the Dark Lord from his musing. Luke's eyes grazed his rank plaque and identified him as an admiral.

"Milord, we have reports of the Rebel fleet massing near Arbra."

A jolt shot through Luke's spine at the news as he tried to look over Vader's arm at the report in the man's hand. "Is the _Falcon_ with them?" he blurted out before he could stop himself.

He felt annoyance emit from the Dark Lord, but the Sith only nodded at the admiral when his questioning eyes sought permission to answer.

"Yes, the _Millennium Falcon_ is present."

Luke cringed and turned away slightly.

_What is it?_

_It's standard procedure to go to an alternate rendezvous as soon as possible if one who knows the original point is captured. If Han and Leia are with the fleet, then they know that I'm here_..._ Arbra is a trap._

_And why are you betraying this information to me?_

_They've just lost a major battle; their forces are weakened. It'd be suicide._

_And you wonder why anyone would take such a risk for you._

_Hey, you stick to reading the thoughts that I throw at you._

Luke felt a wave of dark amusement flow from the Dark Lord.

"Leave them, Admiral; set our course for Coruscant."

The man's eyes widened slightly, as did Luke's.

"But, Milord, the Rebel fleet is there, and it is weak-we need only to strike. To let the opportunity pass would be foolish—"

Vader, who had half turned away from the admiral, stopped dead in his movement. His head tilted slightly to regard the man again. "Am I mistaken, Admiral Ozzel, or did you just refer to me as _foolish_?"

Ozzel paled several shades as an invisible grip took him by the throat and began to squeeze. As the man fell to his knees, an involuntary cry came from the mind of the young man standing by, watching in horror.

_You're killing him!_

The cry was mingled with a jumble of emotions: shock, fear, disbelief.

Vader looked at Luke as if seeing him for the first time, and suddenly Ozzel was free. His hands planted firmly on the floor just inches from his face as he struggled to regain his breath.

"Never question me, _Captain._"

Ozzel nodded, clearly relieved that demotion was the price of his infraction rather than his life.

_An honorable man would see it the other way around._

_Well, _Luke shrugged mentally,_ he is an Imperial. _

Vader shot him a dark look then stalked down the catwalk to exit the bridge.

Luke tried to act like he didn't notice that the entire bridge watched him as he followed the Dark Lord out.

* * *

Luke kept his mouth shut until he and the Sith were sealed alone in Vader's quarters; then he couldn't stand it any longer.

"What was that?"

Vader's back was still turned, but his voice was very clear. "You distracted me."

"You were going to kill that man." Luke's eyes were wide as he stared at Vader's perfect black form.

The Sith's head turned slightly, silhouetting the mask that concealed the man within; he looked like he was going to speak, but he only turned away again.

"Why didn't you kill him?" Luke's voice was quieter now, probing. Vader knew that the boy was already apprehensive of his attitude towards him; this had only made matters worse.

Vader quickly moved back towards the door. "We'll talk when I return this evening."

Luke ran forward. "No! We need to—"

The door slid shut in his face.

"—talk now..." he finished quietly, staring at his distorted reflection on the door.

* * *

The remainder of his duties passed too quickly for Lord Vader; it was all too soon before he was free to return to his quarters, and for the first time in two decades, he did not want to go.

He didn't want to face his son. He didn't want to tell him.

He wasn't ready.

But Vader wasn't one to back down, he sternly reminded himself as he strode into his quarters to find Luke sitting on the dark leather couch that he had moved to this room so the young man had somewhere to sit while pestering him.

Luke looked up from the report he had been reading, his blue eyes dull in his boredom.

"There's something I need to tell you," the Sith said, wasting no time on pleasantries.

Luke raised an eyebrow, lowering the datapad he was reading. "Yeah?"

Vader snatched the report from Luke's hands as he strode by; he grabbed another from his desk and replaced the one he'd taken; he then leaned against the corner of his workstation, waiting for Luke to read.

Luke's eye narrowed as he read; Vader saw his eyes moved faster and faster, back and forth across the screen, until finally he allowed it to drop into his lap as he looked up, his jaw dropped.

"What is this? This is crazy!"

Vader nodded. "I want you to help me take care of this problem."

Luke stood, waving the report in Vader's face. "This is an order from the Emperor..."

Vader nodded.

"…Commanding that you lay siege upon Corellia and obtain for him two-hundred crates of cotton candy!"

Vader nodded once again. "Yes. He has gone quite... mad."

"You bet he has! Corellia is under Imperial control- you just need to put in an order!"

Vader tilted his head dangerously.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist."

Vader shook his head. "This is serious, Skywalker. He's been like this for months, and I can hide it for only so long."

Luke crossed his arms; he stared at the Dark Lord with narrow eyes. "Is this why I'm here? To help remove the Emperor and place you on the throne?"

"Partially."

Luke's jaw dropped. "Will you please stop playing these games?"

"I will inform you of what you need to know as you need to know it, Skywalker."

"I'm part of the Alliance, or don't you remember? Why did you choose me to help you?"

Vader paused for a moment, before carefully speaking the truth, "You are the Son of Skywalker; it is your destiny."

"My destiny? What is?"

"To rule at my side."

Luke took a step back, his eyes wide. "What? I don't know what makes you think you have claim to me, but you don't!" He turned and strode angrily towards the door; just before he hit the release, he turned back towards the silent Sith still standing by the desk. "Why don't you get your own son and leave _Skywalker's_ alone?"

He opened the door and almost ran square into the newly appointed Admiral Piett, who seemed to be trying to muster up the courage to ring the bell.

Luke stepped back, looking at Piett in shock.

"What is it, Admiral?" Vader asked from behind the surprised youth.

"Um, I, um, well, a few of the other officers and I are gathered at the Officer's Club, and we thought perhaps that," he paused as he glanced at Luke, "Commander Skywalker might like to join us."

Luke crossed his arms as he looked between Vader and Piett. "And you drew the short straw?"

The admiral's eyes widened slightly as he looked from Luke to the Dark Lord. He nodded once, swallowing a lump in his throat.

Luke shrugged, throwing a defiant glance in Vader's direction. "Yeah, I'll go," he said, walking out into the hall. He frowned when he realized that Piett did not follow; he remained standing in the doorway waiting for the Sith's approval.

"Have him back at a reasonable hour, Admiral." Luke heard the ominous voice say.

Admiral Piett nodded. "Yes, Milord."

The door slid shut and Piett turned to Luke, smiling stiffly. They began walking towards the lift. Once inside, Luke slumped up against the lift wall as Piett keyed in the level they wanted. He then turned his eyes onto the young man.

"Were you going somewhere when I called upon you?"

Luke almost laughed. "I wouldn't have made it far, I'm sure."

Piett frowned slightly. "Are you a prisoner? You don't seem..."

Luke shook his head. "I don't know what I am."

The lift door opened, cutting off the awkward conversation. Luke followed the admiral from the lift and down a bright corridor to a tidy and classy club: the Officer's Club.


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER SEVEN **

* * *

As they stepped inside, Luke spotted only one small group in the stuffy room: an assembly of three officers, Piett made four. The admiral led Luke over to the group and introduced him to the men surrounding the table; Luke immediately recognized Ozzel, who looked more than a little drunk; there was also Maximilian Veers, a general in command of the ground forces; and Lorth Needa, captain of the _Avenger_, temporally posted on the _Executor_ for a training exercise.

Luke smiled, politely greeting the small group as he seated himself. He tried to seem not to notice Ozzel staring at him; it became impossible when the man addressed him.

"Let me buy you a drink, Commander," the officer murmured.

Luke shook his head. "Thank you, but there's no need—"

"Let him buy you a drink, Skywalker," Piett said, his eyes serious.

Luke nodded; he looked at the table. "Thank you... Captain."

Ozzel bobbed his head up and down in what Luke took as a nod as he waved over the server-droid.

"What'll you have, kid?"

Luke unconsciously flinched and closed his eyes at the nickname.

"Are you all right?"

Luke's eyes snapped open as he nodded, reassuring Needa who was frowning at him from across the table. "I'll, um, have whatever you guys are having."

Piett leaned back in his chair. "We're drinking Alderaanian Wine. Ozzel's drinking Corellian Ale."

Luke pressed his lips into a thin line as he studied Ozzel for a brief moment. "I'll have the wine."

The three sober officers chuckled softly at the young commander's choice as the droid hurried off to get Luke's drink.

Ozzel watched Luke with intent eyes from across the table. The young man tried not to fidget under the stare.

"You saved my life today, Skywalker."

Luke involuntarily straightened in his seat, his eyes wide. "I don't know what you mean," he croaked, sounding not at all convincing.

"Neither do we," Piett said, his voice low. "But we know what we saw."

The droid set Luke's drink before him; he drank more in the first gulp than he meant to and had a short coughing fit.

"Look," Luke cleared his throat. "I don't even know what I'm doing here." He took another drink. "I don't even know why _I'm_ not dead!"

His four companions watched him with careful eyes as the droid topped off his wine; half the glass was gone before the droid even moved away from him.

Piett raised an eyebrow. "Indeed, your seeming status of 'guest' has many wondering."

"Including me."

The four Imperials exchanged glances and then leaned forward, peering curiously at the youth.

Luke peered back.

"What do you think of Lord Vader?" Luke asked suddenly. At once, all four sets of eyes on him broke away.

Luke pressed his lips together, suppressing a hiccup. "All right, how about the Emperor?"

His companions shifted in their seats in discomfort; the moment grew even more awkward.

"Um, Commander Skywalker..."

"Luke."

"Luke." Piett nodded. "It is not our place to... have opinions about Lord Vader or our Emperor."

Luke laughed, taking another swig of wine; he choked, almost spitting the mouthful onto the table. "Whaz dat mean? You couldn't pos-sib-ie not have an oh-pin-en."

Needa raised an eyebrow. "Opinion."

"Yeah, I know. Oooh-pin-en"

* * *

Lord Vader sat in his quarters, quite out of character. His right foot was propped up on the corner of his desk, his arm was slung over the back of his chair, his left hand held the report that he was studying, and his right hand hovered over the desk surface while his fingers thudded against it. The rhythm of his tapping marked his reading; he was studying the report of the destruction of the first Death Star. The report of the young pilot who fired the fatal shot.

He couldn't help but smirk with pride.

He shook his head slightly as he stood; he needed to focus- all too often he'd found his mind on the future... he needed to focus on _here_ and _now_- or he would fail.

He glanced at the chrono on the wall; it was getting rather late. _What kind of festivities, exactly, had Admiral Piett dragged his son to? _

His contemplation ceased when a chime sounded, followed by a slight bang at the door to his quarters. Something told him to forego opening the door via the Force; he strode across the room and opened it manually-

To find Luke Skywalker sitting on the floor, leaning his face against Admiral Piett's military issue trousers.

"I see you've had an eventful evening," Vader observed as he stooped to help Luke to his feet.

"Milord, I..."

"He's drunk." The Sith observed dryly as Luke leaned heavily against him.

"Well, he... Milord, he doesn't have a high alcohol tolerance..."

"And why did you give him alcohol?"

"N'eye y'only had un."

Both Vader and Piett looked down at the murmuring drunk commander. Vader tilted his head and stared down at the admiral.

"Do you know who this boy is, Admiral?" Vader hissed dangerously.

Piett flinched but managed not to look away. "Someone... of utmost importance, Milord."

Vader glanced down the corridor and then grabbed Piett by the collar and dragged him into his quarters, closing the door.

"Yes. Now, tell me, did he say anything to you?"

"Milord?"

Vader lifted Luke, who had moments before passed out, and laid him down on the couch; he straightened and turned back to Piett, his head tilted dangerously. "What did he say tonight?"

Piett swallowed, noticeably shaken by the question.

"And you can leave out his confusion about his being here," Vader added. "I'm well aware of that."

The admiral's lips parted slowly, wishing that he knew more of what was going on.

"He... wanted our opinions about yourself and the Emperor... we told him that it was an inappropriate subject." Piett swallowed before continuing. "He then began to speak about you..."

* * *

_"Ya know, I joined the Reebells 'ecause I wanted to avenge mah father's murder... but now..." Luke glanced up at the four Imperials watching him. "I think I might have been lied to," he whispered._

_"What do you mean, Luke?" Piett asked softly._

_"Kenobi." All four of the Imperials straightened slightly when Luke said the name— they had all heard about the Jedi General of the Clone Wars. "He told me..." his voice suddenly became low, the drunken slur washed away. "That Vader betrayed and murdered my father."_

_The four men shifted uncomfortably._

_"But," Luke broke into their thoughts. "It... it just doesn't make sense anymore... I... I don't think he killed my father." He looked up at them with shining blue eyes. "And if he didn't kill my father... I... I have no idea who to trust. I've been raised to hate the Empire, but if Vader is the only one telling me the truth..."_

_"I think you need to speak to him about this..." Piett murmured, taking a sip of his wine. _

* * *

"The conversation veered off from there, Milord," Piett said, holding himself straight. "You can imagine we were quite uncomfortable with the subject."

Vader nodded once, glancing down at the sleeping Skywalker. "You are one of the few aware of Palpatine's condition, Admiral."

Piett shifted, clearly uncomfortable; he had thought he hid his knowledge well.

"Oh, you have hid it well," Vader answered his unspoken concern.

Piett fought the urge to shiver and nodded.

"This boy is going to keep the Empire from crumbling with Palpatine."

Piett frowned, his confusion shone through his features. "But Milord, you are heir to…"

"Yes, but simply taking the throne would shake the Empire. There would be only one Sith. If I rose with no heir, the bureaucrats would begin to bicker."

Piett shook his head as he listened. "Not for you, Milord... those loyal to the Empire and not themselves will follow you."

"I need an heir, Admiral. I need a Second-in-Command. I need a Lord."

Piett's eyes shifted to the young man slumbering on the couch.

"Yes," Vader confirmed. "He is the one."

Piett's eyes rose to meet the Sith's. He fully realized what it meant to be confided in by the Dark Lord, the honor of the moment nearly overwhelmed him. "You have chosen him because he is powerful in the Force..."

"I have chosen him because he is my son."

All of the admiral's breath rushed from him in one gasp. "Son, Milord? But..."

"Son, Admiral."

Piett nearly laughed. "But Kenobi told him..."

"Yes, I know."

"Luke's going to feel absolutely—"

"Betrayed."

Piett's expression fell. _Yes. Everything the boy knew would be crushed in one realization. _

"I want him to be comfortable, happy even, here— with me, before I tell him."

The admiral nodded.

"Outings such as this," the Sith gestured down at his son. "Will be of great benefit."

Piett's jaw nearly dropped. _He was being thanked for getting Darth Vader's son drunk!_

"Get some sleep, Admiral. I believe you are on duty in a few hours."

Piett gave one grateful and relieved nod, bowed, and hurried out of Vader's quarters and down the corridor.

Vader glanced down at his son on the sofa. Luke shifted to his side, curled up, and murmured softly in his sleep.

"You're drunk," Vader mused softly. "How becoming of you."

Luke suddenly rolled onto his back, cracking his eyelids to look up at the Dark Lord. "Whe'd 'ou come fom?"

Vader pulled Luke's eyelids apart with his fingers and studied the young man's pupils before letting the skin snap back into place.

"Aghhh," Luke groaned and swung his fist loosely at the looming Sith, hitting him in the groin.

"Luke! Sit still!"

A few unintelligible words stumbled from the young man's lips before Vader made out: "Don't be so grumpy."

Vader sighed and lifted the young man into his arms and carried him to bed. Again.


	8. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER EIGHT **

* * *

"Told ya he wouldn't talk."

"Shut up, Solo."

"I told you not to set up an ambush that's banking on a good man's betrayal."

Leia pressed her lips together as she watched the exchange between Han Solo and Crix Madine. The fleet had gathered, as planned, and the Empire had not shown. High Command had counted on Luke being interrogated, and they had counted on him talking.

Both she and Han knew it wouldn't happen.

While Han boasted the fact, she merely leaned against the wall smugly, earning a few glares from those who had thought that the plan would work.

She and Han (among others) had also argued that even if the fleet did show up… the Alliance had not the fire power to cripple it. The setup was foolhardy, if not suicidal.

Leia kept her visage neutral, but she knew that Han's raging was a result of what they all suspected—Luke was most likely dead now. She, Han, and all of the pilots of Rogue Squadron were still trying to figure out why Luke had ordered them off… and what had happened to Wedge's X-wing during the engagement.

She hoped against hope that Luke was alive... and could someday tell them.

* * *

"How is young Skywalker this morning, Milord?" Piett asked quietly.

Vader tilted his head away from the report that he was studying. "He was still asleep when I left. I suspect he'll not be feeling well when he wakes."

"Would you like me to check on him when I get a spare moment, Milord?"

"That would be most gracious of you. Thank you, Admiral."

Piett fought to keep his jaw from dropping and merely nodded politely and excused himself from the Sith Lord's presence. The shock of being thanked by the Dark Lord twice within twenty-four hours was more than a bit disconcerting.

* * *

Luke sat up abruptly and squinted at the room. He dragged his fingers through his hair as he remembered the previous night. His head fell back on the pillow as the evening streamed back into his memory. _Luke Skywalker... Drunk! _

He frowned as more of the night returned to him... he had been _really_ drunk. He'd confided in a bunch of Imperials, drooled on an admiral's pant leg, and hit Darth Vader in the groin.

That had to be some kind of record.

A smile blossomed on his face as he realized he didn't even have a headache. He actually felt quite good. He threw off the thick blankets covering him and dropped his feet to the floor. He hurried across the room to the 'fresher; he couldn't wait for another shower.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Luke stepped back into the bedroom, running a plush towel through his hair. His eyes swept the room until they landed on a small note sitting on the table. He dropped the damp towel on the back of a chair as he passed it, narrowing his eyes as he picked up the note.

_Here is my clearance code. If you actually feel the need to consume food when you awake, call the service droid and order whatever odd item you feel you need to try today. I will return later this evening._

Luke's lips twisted into a mischievous grin. "Leave me your clearance code, _and _tell me when you're going to be back?" He shook his head as he shoved the clearance card into his pocket. "You forget who you're dealing with, Lord Vader."

* * *

Piett stopped before the door of Lord Vader's quarters, feeling odd about entering without the Sith being present. He slid the coded card that Lord Vader had given him through the lock and waited as the red light turned green. He stepped over the threshold as the door slid open and proceeded towards the room that connected to the office. As he entered he saw that the bed had been disheveled, but there was no one in it. He turned to look at the door to the 'fresher, it was wide open.

He frowned. "Luke...?"

Nothing.

He slowly approached the 'fresher, nudging the door open further. "Luke?"

His eyes widened as he looked all around the room, then his eyes fell onto a note on the table…

"Oh, Luke... You didn't."

* * *

Vader suppressed a sigh as his comlink chirped. He pulled it from his belt and asked crisply. "What?"

"Milord..."

Vader already began walking towards the bridge lift when he heard Piett's voice. "What is it?"

"He's... he's not here."

Vader's fist tightened around the comlink as he punched the lift button. "I'm on my way. Call security. Tell them to track... me."

"Your clearance code?"

"Yes." He signed off. Fury boiled through him; he should have known better than to trust a Skywalker.

* * *

Luke smiled to himself as he slipped into a private communications booth, compliments of Lord Vader. He narrowed his eyes at the screen before him as his fingers began to fly over the keyboard. He used Vader's code to get out of Imperial lines and used his codes to try to get into those of the Alliance. He could send a message to the Alliance no problem, but if he wanted to cover his tracks— he needed to be careful.

He dodged all of the shortcuts, making his movements seem like a spiral towards his goal. His smile grew and his eyes narrowed as he drew closer.

"I can send it from here," he whispered to himself.

* * *

"Intercept it. Do not allow it to transmit, but leave him to think that it did."

The communications officer that had let Luke through was still trembling as he nodded and executed Lord Vader's wishes. He'd realized his mistake the moment the Dark Lord and the _Executor_'s admiral came storming into his workstation. He worked quickly to be sure that the message never left the _Executor_ and immediately began working on a decoy beam and sent it before Skywalker was any the wiser.

"What was that?" he heard Vader ask.

The comm officer glanced up. "An energy blast. It'll go nowhere. He'll think that his message went."

Vader gave him one satisfied nod. "Open it," he ordered.

The officer swallowed hard and nodded, hoping that he wasn't opening something that he shouldn't see, something that would end his life at the Sith Lord's whim.

The message appeared on the screen, somewhat encrypted, but it was obvious that the young commander hadn't had time to do a thorough job. The comm officer made quick work of the encryption and sat back as the message appeared letter-by-letter on the screen:

THE CAT IS GOING HOME. BIRD IS UNHARMED. DRAGON ON THE GOLDEN EGG IS ENRAPTURED BY THE MOON. STAY AWAY. BIRD WILL FLY ON OWN.

Vader's clenched his fist as he read the message; it seemed that he had further to go with the young man than he thought.

"What does it say?" Piett murmured, leaning over the comm officer's seat.

"He's telling the Alliance that we're returning to Coruscant, that he is unharmed…" he paused for a moment, glancing down at the communications officer. "Would you excuse us?"

The young man nodded and stood quickly, clearly relieved to be asked to leave rather than be Force-choked because he heard too much.

"He also was trying to tell them," Vader continued once the man was gone. "That the Emperor has gone mad; and not to come after him- he plans to escape on his own."

Piett shifted uneasily; after the confidence that the Dark Lord had placed on him the night before, he was feeling very empathetic towards the Sith and his unbeknownst son. Would Luke have done this had he known?

What _will_ Luke do when he finds out?

"Come," Vader's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Allow him to think he has succeeded, for now."

* * *

Luke stepped out of the booth, running his fingers through his hair nervously. He glanced at the communications officer; the man didn't even give him a second glance. He drew a deep breath and quickly slipped back out into the corridor. He glanced up and down the hall and then hurried back to Vader's quarters.

Smiling secretly all the way.


	9. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER NINE**

* * *

Vader waited until that evening to return to his quarters, though he wanted to storm there and shake the obstinacy from his son. Upon entering the austere set of rooms, he found the young man innocently perched upon the couch in his office studying a fleet report. Vader strode past him into the bedroom; the clearance card was next to the note where he left it. He picked up the card and walked back to where Luke was sitting.

"Did you need to use my code today?"

"I wasn't hungry," Luke murmured, not taking his eyes off the report.

Vader stepped forward, plucked the report from the young man's hands and bent so that he and Luke were staring at each other nose-to-nose. "That is not what I asked."

Luke paled slightly as he stared up into the mask that loomed over him. He swallowed and forced a casual smile onto his face. "Well, you left it for me to order food with, so I thought that was what you meant."

Vader felt his lips twist into a smirk as he realized that Luke was trying very hard not to lie. He was interested in just how hard he would try.

Vader seated himself across from Luke. "How have you occupied yourself today?"

Luke shifted in discomfort; Vader could feel his nervousness radiating through the Force. "Um, read some fleet reports."

"All day?"

"Um, no."

"What else did you do?"

"Um, took a shower."

Vader glanced around the room. "Did you stay in here all day?"

"You didn't say I could leave..."

"I know that I didn't- but did you regardless?"

Luke stared at him for several silent moments and then looked away.

"You're like a droid, Skywalker. You cannot lie."

Luke's eyes darted back to the Dark Lord and slightly widened. He stood as Vader stood and began to back away as the Sith advanced.

"Where are you going, Luke?"

The young man did not take his eyes from the mask; he shook his head. "Don't call me that," he whispered.

"It is your name."

Luke continued to shake his head. "Not to you."

Vader resisted the urge to strike the boy. "I have given you nothing but kindness and hospitality."

Luke began to shake his head faster; his lips began to tremble.

"I offer you the truth, while others give you nothing but lies," Vader continued, still advancing. "And _this_ is how you repay me?"

Luke's back hit the wall as Vader tossed a datapad at him. He hadn't meant to approach the situation this way, but his anger was getting the best of him. He watched through narrow eyes as Luke read the message he thought had been sent to his comrades. The hand holding the datapad seemed to shake as his looked back up at the Sith standing over him.

"Why don't you just kill me?" Luke asked softly. "Stop playing these games and finish it."

Vader snapped.

He raised a clenched fist, and Luke's feet rose from the floor so that the two were eye-to eye. Luke inhaled deeply, as if to test whether he could still breathe.

"That has never been my intention. Have I not made that perfectly clear? Will you stop clinging to your childish ideologies and the deceitful stories you've been fed and look at what is standing before you?"

"I SEE NOTHING!" Luke screamed into the Sith Lord's face. His blue eyes burned with something Vader had thought him incapable of—fury. The feeling flowed through them both; Vader nearly sighed in elation, and Luke paled in disbelief—but the feeling did not fade.

"That's it," Vader whispered, unwilling to let the moment simply pass. "Hold onto that."

"No."

"See what it can do," Vader urged. "Push me away."

Luke frowned; everything for a moment was forgotten. "What do you mean?"

"Take that anger and shove at me with it."

"But..."

"Just try."

Luke drove his teeth into his lower lip, his eyes burned... and suddenly Vader found himself clear cross the room, flat on his back.

Luke ran to his side, his eyes darting wildly. The anger was gone, replaced by concern. Vader shook his head; he didn't care. His untrained son had thrown _him_ across his quarters- thrown him with a mere emotion.

"Well done," he murmured, resting his head against the floor.

"Are you all right?" Luke gasped, clearly shaken.

"Better than I have been in years, young Skywalker."

"I... I'm sorry about the message."

Vader rolled his head to the side to look at his son. "It is partially my fault; I should not have kept you in the dark for so long."

Luke smiled lopsidedly, something he had picked up from Han. "Well, why don't you-"

Luke was cut off as Vader's hand clamped over his mouth. "Do you feel that?" the Sith asked softly, climbing back to his feet.

Luke rose with him, pulling away. "Your hand on my face?"

Vader didn't react to the jab; his head was tilted back as if he were listening carefully. "A disturbance... very faint." He sharply turned to look at Luke and asked again. "Do you feel it?"

Luke frowned slightly, and closed his eyes. "I feel..." His eyes suddenly flew open. "Battle," he gasped.

"Exactly," Vader said, pride welling in him. Luke needed to be trained as soon as possible. "Come."

The Dark Lord gracefully pulled himself to his feet, as he strode towards the door as he pulled out his comlink. When the device chirped at him he spoke into it.

"Drop out of hyperspace immediately, set all sweeps, ready all squadrons, scan the area, open communications."

Luke couldn't help but smile at how confused the commanding officer on the bridge must be. He stepped into the lift next to Vader; the doors slid shut behind them.

* * *

Luke followed Vader onto the bridge; he forced himself not to say hello to Admiral Piett, who stood at attention as Vader approached him.

"Report."

"There is a skirmish in-system, Milord. Rebel fragments have found something else to occupy their time."

Vader threw a glance at Luke, wondering if the Rebels were striking in an attempt to draw the _Executor_. That would be quite an amount of trouble for one pilot. His thoughts returned to the present as Piett continued.

"We've received confirmation that it is the _Admonitor_..."

"The _Admonitor_ is on Outer Rim mapping duty," Vader interrupted.

Piett did not flinch. "They _should_ be, Milord."

Vader nodded, indicating that he should continue. As Piett rattled off the rest of the details to the Sith, Luke slowly moved to stand before the viewport, his eyes trained intently upon the tiny flashes in the distance.

"They're fighting in an atmosphere," he murmured without thinking. He looked over his shoulder to find both Vader and Piett staring at him.

Piett nodded as he and Vader moved to stand next to the youth. "How did you know...?"

Luke shrugged. "There's fire. There's no fire in space battles, no oxygen to feed it."

Piett gave one brief nod; he knew this from the academy. Vader and Luke knew it from experience. "Why do you find this odd, Luke?"

Luke looked away from the viewport to face Piett. "X-wings are sluggish in atmosphere."

Vader and Piett nodded—they knew this, as the T.I.E. fighters were as well.

"The fighters would only choose not to fight in vacuum if there was a very good reason." He glanced up at Vader, as if expecting him to complete his thought.

He did. "They're drawing the T.I.E.s away from the _Admonitor_," Vader shook his head and crossed his arms. "Or _he_ has forced them down into the atmosphere."

Luke raised an eyebrow at him, not quite understanding what Vader meant by his second comment. "Not that I want you to go after the Alliance fighters out there or anything, but aren't you going to help that Star Destroyer?"

Vader threw a sidelong look at the communications officer. "Have we established contact with the Grand Admiral yet?"

Luke frowned slightly at the title- _who could possibly be commanding that Destroyer…?_ His answer came quickly as a face appeared before them, his head bent. Luke narrowed his eyes. "The transmission must be being scrambled somehow," he whispered to Piett.

Piett glanced down at him and smiled. "Why do you say that?"

"He looks blue..."

The figure before him slowly raised his head and opened his eyes; two crimson spheres shone brilliantly at them. Luke had to fight the urge to back away.

"Grand Admiral Thrawn," Vader greeted.

The Grand Admiral returned Vader's gesture. "Lord Vader, what an honor to have the _Executor_ share space with us."

"What is the _Admonitor_ doing so far core-ward, Admiral?" Vader asked, cutting right to the point.

Thrawn smiled secretly. "You could not expect me to miss the coming festivities."

Vader pressed his lips together. The thought of both Thrawn and Piett knowing about the Emperor's condition unsettled him; but, then again, he couldn't expect Thrawn _not_ to know.

"Have you an able officer to command your vessel to Coruscant?"

He received one affirmative nod from the grand admiral.

"You will take care of those fighters and accompany me to Imperial Center aboard the _Executor_."

Again, Thrawn nodded. "As you wish, Milord."

Thrawn's face vanished, and Vader looked back at Luke, who was staring back out the viewport, watching the dogfight in the distance. He was about to speak when he saw Luke straighten suddenly; moments later he saw why. A freighter and a few X-wings emerged from behind a nearby satellite and were moving at full speed towards the _Executor_.

_What do you suppose they plan on doing once they reach us_? Vader's voice asked softly into Luke's thoughts.

_The fighters will engage the Destroyer at pointblank range to draw T.I.E.s from the bay. Once the hangar is open and the aft shields are down, the _Falcon_ will break into the ship._

Luke looked up to find Vader staring at him. "And why did you tell me _that_?" he asked, his voice low.

Luke smiled slightly. "Once again, they'll be killed, and even if they weren't, they'd never look for me on the bridge. It'd work out best for both sides if you simply leave the shields up and not deploy your fighters."

Piett was listening to the two carefully yet still managed to be focusing on the bridge; he cleared his throat and openly looked at the two. "Orders, Milord?"

Vader turned on his heel, slapping Luke in the leg with his cape. "Prepare for Grand Admiral Thrawn's arrival." He strode towards the lift, glancing over his shoulder. "You will accompany me, Skywalker."

Luke narrowed his eyes, casting a glance at Piett, and then followed the Dark Lord to the lift.

Once both men were settled into the lift and it began to move, Vader spoke. "If I did not know any better, I'd say that you do not want to be rescued."

Luke did not look up from where his eyes were locked upon one of his boots. "What makes you say that?"

"You evade their attempts by betraying their plans to me."

"Like I said, they have no hope to succeed—"

"No. It is something else."

Luke looked up; his eyes held a tired and worn look to them. "You have something I want," he spoke faintly.

Vader watched him closely. "Luke, I didn't kill—"

The Dark Lord's revelation was cut off as an alarm ripped through the Star Destroyer. Both men exchanged a look.

"I thought you weren't going to deploy fighters?"

"I thought they weren't going to attack unless I did?"

Luke frowned. "You didn't deploy?"

"No, Skywalker, I didn't."

Luke looked away, his brow furrowed. "Han, you are so stupid sometimes," he murmured.


End file.
